Steadily approaching checkmate
by kasai tenshi
Summary: Recollection of the time when Ciel became the Queen's watchdog. Oneshot.


**A very short story I wrote a long time ago. The Queen's character is based on the manga, since in the anime... oh well.**

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><p><strong>Steadily approaching check-mate<strong>

The Queen. The Phantomhives. And silence. That's all there was to it. Victoria sighed, softly complaining:

"Why is it that you are so obstinate about it? You are still so young, and yet…"

The Earl took a sip from his cup of Earl Grey, and answered without wincing:

"It is my only wish to serve Your Majesty, just as my ancestors did. Please allow me to continue my family's tradition and live up to my name."

The Queen nodded in disappointment.

"Why does this cute boy in front of me want to become my guarding dog and take over the underworld?"

"Your Majesty, my wish is nothing but to continue doing what my ancestors did and protect you from your enemies. It is in the power of the Earl of Phantomhive to do so and I have no intention of backing off."

The Earl said in the same unwavering tone. He didn't seem to be disturbed, or surprised of the outcome of the discussion, nor did he seem to find difficult facing off the Queen. The Earl had a determined look in his eyes, a look truly different from the one of his butler, who was standing behind the Earl's chair slightly smirking. He casually refilled the cups, all while giving off the impression he wasn't actually there, that he was just a piece of furniture which could not cause any disturbance of any kind.

"Ciel, why won't you answer me sincerely? I am your Queen after all."

"I am always talking to Your Majesty in my utmost sincerity and if I ever fail to do so please take whatever measures you find suitable."

But Victoria's words did not reach. The Earl seemed a very far away existence, and the only thing he was asking for was a reasonable demand.

"No, that's not what I meant. I have always appreciated your sincerity. And yet, only this one thing you're asking me… makes me feel very sad."

The Earl sighed, and the Queen seemed to catch something in his expression that made her to continue.

"I vaguely know what happened, but I heard the criminals have all died a mysterious death… which I suppose was the punishment of the Phantomhives. What I do not understand, however, is the plain look on your face. Why won't you tell me what's really tormenting you?"

"I give my utmost apologies for interrupting but, my Lord, you told me to announce you when it's 6 o'clock."

The Earl slightly bowed his head, sign he understood something others could not understand. The butler had said something he was not supposed to, only to see what will happen further on, only to see how the Earl would react: as a child, by confessing everything and begging for mercy, or as an adult, swiftly continuing to talk and drift the conversation away, while polishing the shard of his vengeance. But as it was in his nature to do strange things, the Earl did neither. Instead, he said:

"Your Majesty, I am afraid I have to be leaving now, please excuse my rudeness but it is a matter which cannot suffer delay. I will await for Your Majesty's letter with all my heart. The thing which is tormenting me, that's only the fact that humans are such weak and easy to be broken beings."

The Queen glanced in astonishment, as the Earl stood up and was dressed by his butler. She slightly opened her mouth but then closed it, like wanting to say something but changing her mind. She finally decided:

"Ciel Phantomhive, I appoint you the leader of The Shadow. I expect great things from you and that you will be faithful as my guarding dog. And boy, remember, today you've made your choice."

"I am highly honored. I swear to the name of the Phantomhives that I will serve Your Majesty with all my might, until death will come. Even then, I hope my successor will do the same job with the same devotion as mine."

Victoria looked away, as if brushing off a fleeting sadness. Again, the Earl had shown no uneasiness and it was almost as he was expecting everything to happen exactly as it did.

"Loyalty to the Queen, you say?" said the Earl to his butler. "The only thing I'm loyal to is this worn-out self. On my board, the Queen is merely a peon. Just like you."

"Then I suppose that on your board the queen is Lady Elisabeth?" cockily asked the butler.

"Sebastian." said the Earl. "On the board where I am playing the king, I am only able to face the king of a different color. The others pieces scattered around, no matter their color, are all mere peons which will perish in order for the king to achieve victory. That's all there is to it."

"But my Lord, people are just weak _things_, not chess pieces made of stone… When you will be opening your eyes to see the other pieces, they will be already gone. That's because humans are easy to break…"

The Earl gritted his teeth, having his butler use his own words against him.

"I do not need to see the pieces which perish. I only need to see the face of the other king when he perishes. Just that face will be enough."

The butler just smiled without answering, while thinking: _"__In __the __moment __you __will __see __that __face, __you __will fall apart __without __me __having __to __do __anything__… __Because __at __that __time, __you __will __only __be __looking __in __a __reverse-color __mirror__…"_


End file.
